When Angela Humphreys (’96) made the decision to fund the Humphreys Family Scholarship Endowment at the UT College of Law, she had two goals in mind. She wanted to change the lives of future students at UT Law, and honor her parents who sacrificed to provide her the educational opportunities that have shaped her life and career.
“It was important to me to honor the legacy of my parents who have everything to do with where I am today,” said Humphreys, who grew up in northeastern Tennessee in Washington County.
Her mother was a teacher, and her father was a builder and farmer. Both instilled in her at an early age the value of an education.
“They did everything they could to ensure that my brother and I both received college educations,” she said.
That belief in the value of education has also driven her generosity.
“I want to make sure that people from that area understand that there is opportunity,” she said. “You shouldn’t be limited from pursuing your talents because you don’t have the financial means. To the extent that I’m able to make the path easier for someone or to afford them an opportunity they might not otherwise have had, I want to do that. And I hope it would inspire them to do the same one day.”
Humphreys oversees the Healthcare Practice Group at Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC in Nashville. In this role she leads the fourth largest healthcare practice in the United States. She became chair of that practice in early 2015 and oversees over 200 attorneys and multiple offices. She is also the incoming chair of the health law committee of the American Bar Association Business Law Section.
For recipients of the Humphreys Family Scholarship and all students of UT Law, Humphreys believes the sky is the limit.
“If you attend the University of Tennessee College of Law, you can be whatever you want to be,” she said. “You will get a great education. You’ll be as prepared as anyone coming out of law school to practice law. If you’re willing to work hard, your only limit is how far your dreams will take you.”